Hanging closure latch

Abstract

A latch that secures a closure member includes a bolt and a support member, with the support member attaching the bolt to a part, which could be a door frame. The support member is configured with head and shank portions, so that when the support member is tightened to the part, the bolt is free to rotate and slide about the shank. The bolt is held captive on the support member by a shoulder of the head, and a longitudinal slot in the bolt allows the bolt to rotate and slide about the shank. The bolt has a second slot with parallel sides that engage parallel flat surfaces of the support member head, thereby suspending the bolt in a horizontal closure locking position to allow unobstructed opening or closing of the closure member.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A latch for releasably holding closed a door, drawer, window or other closure member having a vertical front surface ending at a top edge and which closure member is movable horizontally relative to an associated member located above and adjacent to the closure member, and having a vertical front face ending at a lower edge, the closure member being movable between a closed position, at which said front surface and said front face are located in substantially the same plane, and an open position at which said front surface and said front face are located in substantially different planes, said latch comprising: a bolt;   a support member with a longitudinal axis;   said bolt being of an elongated shape with first and second longitudinal ends and front and rear faces oriented in opposite directions;   said bolt having an elongated slot defined at least in part by substantially parallel opposed side surfaces extending through said bolt from said front face to said rear face, said slot terminating at first and second slot ends short of said first and second bolt ends, respectively;   said support member having a shank portion receivable in said elongated bolt slot and having front and rear ends spaced apart from one another along said longitudinal axis;   said support member also having an attachment portion extending along said longitudinal axis from said rear end of said shank portion and which attachment portion is receivable in said associated member to attach and hold said support member to said associated member with said bolt received on said shank portion;   said support member also having a head portion adjacent said front end of said shank portion and engageable with said bolt to hold said bolt on said support member, said head portion having at least one planar surface parallel to said longitudinal axis;   said bolt being further defined by first and second bolt sections, said front and rear faces being spaced further apart in said second bolt section than in said first bolt section, said second bolt section defining an engagement slot approximately coaxial with said elongated slot, and defined in part by substantially parallel opposed side surfaces spaced farther apart than said side surfaces of said elongated slot,   at least one of said engagement slot side surfaces being engagable with said planar surface of said head portion when said support member is located in said second bolt section to prevent rotation of said bolt relative to said support member and allow free movement of said closure member between said closed and open positions; and   said bolt and support member being further configured that when said head portion is located in said first bolt section, said bolt is free to rotate relative to said elongated slot about said longitudinal axis and due to its weight to assume a vertically oriented position.   
     
     
       2. A latch for releasably holding closed a door, drawer, window or other closure member having a vertical front surface ending at a top edge and which closure member is movable horizontally relative to an associated member located above and adjacent to the closure member, and having a vertical front face ending at a lower edge, the closure member being movable between a closed position, at which said front surface and said front face are located in substantially the same plane, and an open position at which said front surface and said front face are located in substantially different planes, said latch comprising: a bolt;   a support member with a longitudinal axis;   said bolt being of an elongated shape with first and second longitudinal ends and front and rear faces oriented in opposite directions;   said bolt having an elongated slot defined at least in part by substantially parallel side surfaces extending through said bolt from said front face to said rear face, said slot terminating at first and second slot ends short of said first and second bolt ends, respectively;   said support member having a shank portion receivable in said bolt slot and having front and rear ends spaced apart from one another along said longitudinal axis;   said support member also having an attachment portion extending along said longitudinal axis from said rear end of said shank portion and which attachment portion is receivable in said associated member to attach and hold said support member to said associated member with said bolt received on said shank portion;   said support member also having a head portion adjacent to said front end of said shank portion engageable with said front face of said bolt to hold said bolt on said support member, said head portion having at least one planar surface parallel to said longitudinal axis;   said bolt and support member being so configured that said bolt is slidable relative to said support member along the length of said slot;   said second end of said bolt slot having a generally planar surface engageable with said planar surface of said head portion when said support member is located proximate said second end of said bolt slot to prevent rotation of said bolt relative to said support member and allow free movement of said closure member between said closed and open positions; and   said bolt and support member being further configured that when said head portion is located proximate said first end of said bolt slot, said bolt is free to rotate relative to said slot about said longitudinal axis and due to its weight to assume a vertically oriented position.   
     
     
       3. A latch for releasably holding closed a door, drawer, window or other closure member having a vertical front surface ending at a top edge and which closure member is movable horizontally relative to an associated member located above and adjacent to the closure member, and having a vertical front face ending at a lower edge, the closure member being movable between a closed position, at which said front surface and said front face are located in substantially the same plane, and an open position at which said front surface and said front face are located in substantially different planes, said latch comprising: a bolt;   a support member with a longitudinal axis;   said bolt being of an elongated shape with first and second longitudinal ends and front and rear faces oriented in opposite directions;   said bolt having an elongated slot defined at least in part by substantially parallel side surfaces passing through said bolt from said front face to said rear face, said slot terminating at first and second slot ends short of said first and second bolt ends, respectively;   said support member having a shank portion receivable in said bolt slot and having front and rear ends spaced apart from one another along said longitudinal axis and at least one generally planar surface parallel to said longitudinal axis;   said support member also having an attachment portion extending along said longitudinal axis from said rear end of said shank portion and which attachment portion is receivable in said associated member to attach and hold said support member to said associated member with said bolt received on said shank portion;   said support member also having a head portion adjacent to said front end of said shank portion engageable with said front face of said bolt to hold said bolt on said support member;   said bolt and support member being so configured that said bolt is slidable relative to said support member along the length of said slot;   said bolt and support member being so configured that said shank portion is engageable with said elongated slot when said support member is located proximate said second end of said slot to prevent rotation of said bolt relative to said support member and allow free movement of said closure member between said closed and open positions; and   said bolt and support member being further configured that when said shank portion is located proximate said first end of said bolt slot, said bolt is free to rotate relative to said slot about said longitudinal axis and due to its weight to assume a vertically oriented position.